A MASSIVE earthquake has devastated Chile killing at least 147 people and sending a tsunami as fast a JET PLANE sweeping across the Pacific.
Tsunami warnings have been issued in 53 nations, including Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Antarctica and Australia. >Fears ... Tsunami warnings have been issued in 53 nations
Chile's powerful 8.8-magnitude quake struck in the early hours of this morning, collapsing buildings and downing phone lines across the country.
It sent shockwaves out from the epicentre 70 miles from the country's second city Concepcion, causing buildings and bridges to collapse and catch fire.
The quake, the most powerful to hit the nation in 50 years, struck around 200 miles south west of the capital Santiago.
Chile President Michele Bachelet has declared a "state of catastrophe" and said the death toll was rising.
British experts said a giant wave was now spreading from the epicentre in Chile towards the famous Easter Islands and then outwards in to the Pacific.
The extent of the tsunami's strength is not yet known, but it has already reached the southern Juan Fernandez Islands, about 400 miles off the coast of Chile, where it was reported to have caused "serious damage".
A local resident from the city of Temuco said after the disaster: "Never in my life have I experienced a quake like this, it's like the end of the world."
The US Geological Survey said the earthquake struck 56 miles northeast of the city of Concepcion at a depth of 22 miles at 3:34 am.
Chilean television and radio stations said several buildings collapsed in the city of Curico and that there was damage to buildings in the historic center of the capital Santiago, about 200 miles north of the epicenter.
The capital's international airport was forced to close, a highway bridge collapsed and chunks of buildings fell into the street. Television pictures showed cars crushed when part of a multi-storey parking garage collapsed.
Broken glass and masonry were strewn across roads in Santiago and several strong aftershocks rattled jittery residents in the hours after the initial quake.
In the moments after the quake, people streamed onto the streets of the capital, hugging each other and crying.
There were blackouts in parts of Santiago and communications were still down in the area closest to the epicenter. Emergency officials said buildings in the historic quarters of two southern cities had been badly damaged.
President Bachelet urged people to stay calm and to remain at home to avoid road accidents saying: "With a quake of this size we undoubtedly can't rule out more deaths and probably injuries."
An earthquake of magnitude 8 or over can cause "tremendous damage," the USGS says. The quake that devastated Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince on January 12 was measured as magnitude 7.0.
Chile is at high risk of earthquakes because it lies on the boundary between the Pacific plate and the South American plate.
The latest quake happened after the Pacific plate pushed down on to the South American plate.
According to seismologists, there is usually around one quake of a magnitude of eight a year while one reaching 8.8 would only be expected every few years.
"It was about 124 miles north east of the largest earthquake ever recorded - 9.5 - in 1960, which resulted in a destructive tsunami that killed many thousands of people around the Pacific."
He said a 1.3m tsunami wave was observed at Valparaiso, 124 miles north of the epicentre, about 20 minutes after the earthquake.
"Tsunami waves in the deep ocean travel about the same speed as a jet plane and would take about 15 hours to reach Hawaii and about 20 hours to reach the other side of the Pacific," he added.
...................................................................................................
BURUDANI WIKI HII
- Kama ilivyo kawaida yetu inapofikia wikiendi ni kipindi cha mapumziko kwa wengi wenu na huwa pumziko hilo haliendi kimya kimya huwa linasindikizwa na buradani safi kabisa ya nyimbo na leooooo............ tunakutana mwana Dadad machachari huyu Rihanna akiwa na wimbo wake unaokwenda kwa jina la:
- Hard
- Video Player:
- Details:
-
- Artist:
- Rihanna, Young Jeezy
- Label:
- Def Jam, SRP
- Director:
- Melina
- Released:
- 12/17/2009
Mary J. Blige, Keri Hilson and Maxwell Take Home Image Awards
Some of music's biggest stars were in full effect at the 41st Annual NAACP Image Awards earlier tonight (Feb. 26).
First off, Wyclef Jean opened up the evening with a rendition of his "Carnival" hit "Guantanamera featuring Carlos Santana on guitar and Keri Hilson reprising Celia Cruz's part. Clef then brought out Haitian group Tabou combo to close out his set. Jean was presented with the Vanguard Award for his relief work in Haiti since the January earthquake. Jill Scott performed to honor Clef.
Meanwhile , in the only two music categories that were presented on air, Keri Hilson won Oustanding New Female Artist and Maxwell won Outstanding Male Artist. Mary J Blige won Oustanding Female Artist and Outstanding Album, Black Eyed Peas won Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration, BeBe and CeCe Winans won Outstanding Gospel Album, Wynton Marsalis won Outstanding Jazz Album, Whitney Houston's "I Look to You" won Outstanding Music Video and Mary Mary's "God in Me" won Outstanding Song.
Tamela Mann performed to honor Tyler Perry, The Roots and John Legend teamed up for a revamped version of Teddy Pendergrass' "Wake Up Everybody" and Mary Mary closed the show after "Precious" director Lee Daniels awkwardly attempted to keep his Outstanding Movie acceptance speech going way past to the wrap-up music.
.....................................................................................................
Source: White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers to Step Down
WASHINGTON (AP) — A White House aide says Desiree Rogers is resigning her post as social secretary, effective sometime next month.
Rogers recently came under criticism for her handling of the administration's first state dinner. A celebrity-seeking couple from northern Virginia got into the exclusive Nov. 24 affair on the South Lawn without a formal invitation, despite heavy White House security.
Rogers later acknowledged not having staff from her office at security checkpoints to help identify guests. Lawmakers had demanded that she testify to Congress about her handling of the event. The White House would not allow it.
The White House aide spoke on condition of anonymity because a formal announcement had not been made
.....................................................................................................
Lady GaGa in clink
MOST pop stars dress down in their scruffs to travel to and from a gig.
But LADY GAGA's not most people.
She wore this very cheeky leather-and-chain number as she left her hotel for London's O2 Arena and the first of two Monsters Ball dates.
No wonder she needed a hand getting down the hotel steps - those chains look like a deathtrap if she got her heels caught in them.
And she wouldn't want to smash her trusty teacup - a cuppa's just the thing to warm her up when so exposed to the British weather.
.................................................................................................
